We are busy sorting out a vendor agreement regarding erasing client data on computers we retrieve.

We have looked at tools like DBAN, which is great, but it doesn't support SSD's.

While I was googling around, I saw there is a command that is can be used on SSD's which essentially sends a voltage spike across the NAND, which makes it "Forget" what it was storing.I guess my main question is;

is there a tool that can do both Mech HDD and SSD's as well, to wipe them securely?Preferably able to produce a audit report of the wipe being completed? (though not a deal breaker if not)

Hi. I recovered hard drives in a previous role using software only and I know what is possible, even if files are partially overwritten. I have also recovered and resold PCs, trying to blank the hard drives using various methods to protect the former owners. Given the amount of time it takes to do the latter properly and the ease with which the former is done, even at hourly minimum wage, it's still cheaper for you to physically destroy the old hard drives and buy new ones for the PCs resale/repurpose. My preferred method is a heavy hammer and chisel, ensuring I have physically buckled the drive such that the platters within have either shattered or are warped beyond reading. This is just for generic clients. Finance and government institutions will have more stringent requirements, though.

I'm also interested in this. I don't mind the time taken as we usually sit them on the bench and let them run. We usually tell customers erasurer will keep the curious and moderately determined from getting their data from the disks, but beyond that, it's a matter of physical destruction.

We use DDS, document destruction services, they provide us with a bin which all the drives go into and that gets sent for shredding. I think they say you can put documents and drives in the same bin, but it would pay to check that.

We are taking them into considering and I'm writing a proposal for our company. I'm not entirely convinced that all devices should be wiped and sold/reused, so am recommending certain categories be destroyed.

In the end it's going to be a balance between security/privacy and economic value. (and of course liability!)

I will hopefully post back shortly with the recommendations I'm going to go back with to the company, fortunately most of the ones suggested here are already being considered, so good to get that feedback!

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